OSTEOPATHIC BOARD CERTIFICATION

AOBS and ABS announce collaboration on Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery exam | LEARN MORE

Component 2: Lifelong Learning/Continuing Medical Education

Overview

Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, to achieve Osteopathic Continuous Certification in the primary specialty of Surgery, a physician must fulfill 60 hours of CME over each three-year period coinciding with the AOA CME cycle. Physicians entering the program mid-cycle will have their credit requirements prorated as outlined below.

In cases where the prorated amount does not equal a whole number or number ending in .5, the amount will be rounded down to the nearest half point. All prorations apply to each CME requirement (total, category-specific, etc.).

Initial Certifications

When physicians first become certified, their CME requirement will be prorated for the current AOA CME cycle only. Prorations will be based on the date of certification, as follows:

Initial Certification Proration Chart
Entry Date Prorated Requirement
Jan. 1–June 30, 2019 83%
July 1– Dec. 31, 2019 67%
Jan. 1–June 30, 2020 50%
July 1– Dec. 31, 2020 33%
Jan. 1–June 30, 2021 17%
July 1– Dec. 31, 2021 No requirement until 2022-2024 CME cycle

Reactivated Certifications

When physicians reactivate an expired/inactive certification, their CME requirement will be prorated based on the amount of time the certification was inactive, as follows:

Reactivated Certification Proration Chart
Length of Inactivity Prorated Requirement
1–180 days 83%
181–360 days 67%
361–540 days 50%
541–720 days 33%
721–900 days 17%
901–1,096 days No requirement until 2022-2024 CME cycle.

See the entire CME Guide.